Trump Administration Cites Anti-Slavery Law to Impose Tariffs of Up to 12.5% on Trading Partners

The Trump administration has imposed new tariffs on dozens of U.S. trading partners — just as a temporary 10% global tariff expired. On Thursday, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced levies of 10% on imports from the European Union, Canada, Mexico and India, and 12.5% on goods from China, Japan, South Korea and other nations. The levies took effect just after midnight this morning. They will keep Trump’s massive regime of tariffs in place despite a Supreme Court ruling striking down earlier emergency-powers tariffs. This time, the Trump administration cited a section of the Trade Act of 1974 that allows for tariffs against countries that don’t outlaw forced labor or who allegedly fail to enforce anti-slavery laws. www.democracynow.org